This invention relates generally to improvements in A-frame building construction.
Although a wide variety of A-frame building designs have been proposed heretofore, the need persists for considerable improvement in the art. Thus, although one of the primary advantages thought to be provided by the A-frame building design concept is that of simplicity and therefore economy, many prior building designs of this type have in fact been complicated and thus costly. One characteristic of the type of complexity that is often found in prior art A-frame building designs involves the use of separate frame and roof/wall members. This necessitates very accurate construction of the frame in order that the roof/wall members will properly fit together. Many prior art A-frame building designs have also employed relatively complicated means of interconnecting either the frame or the roof/wall members to the underlying floor structure.
The present invention comprises an A-frame building design which overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, an A-frame building includes a plurality of beams which function as self-supporting roof/wall members. The beams are interlocked at their upper ends, and adjacent beams are interconnected to form a continuous roof/wall structure extending the entire length of the building.
The roof/wall structure of the A-frame building overlies a floor structure. The floor structure preferably comprises a concrete slab including a relatively thin, centrally disposed deck or flange portion and relatively thick edge or web portions extending along the opposite edges of the central portion. The beams comprising the roof/wall structure are received in the edge portions of the floor structure and are thus secured in place.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, half of the upper end of each beam is removed to form a notch. The beams are arranged in opposed pairs with the remaining half of the upper end of each beam being received in the notch of the opposite beam. The notch of each beam is defined by a surface which engages the underside of the opposite beam, so that the beams are interlocked and self-supporting. Adjacent beams are preferably interconnected by tongue and groove joints.